Bowmanstown residents will have to reach a little deeper into their pockets to pay their monthly garbage bills.

On a 6-1 vote, borough council on Tuesday approved a $2 increase to the garbage rate, which ups the monthly rate to $35 per household.

Councilman Darren Thomas was opposed.

Earlier this month, council on a 4-3 vote awarded a five-year trash contract to Tamaqua Transfer for $711,044.

Voting yes were council members William Ravert, Kara Scott, Rob Sikorsky and council President Pam Leiby. Opposed were Rob Moyer, Candace Rodriguez, and Thomas.

After that vote, Thomas said he wasn’t sure if council fully realized that its decision means that in essence, it will be paying more from the start by going with the 5-year deal rather than the 3-year deal.

Tamaqua Transfer also turned in a bid for a 3-year contract in the amount of $408,926. It did not submit a quote for a 1-year contract.

Larry Wittig, president of Tamaqua Transfer, said the council members who voted in favor of the 5-year pact were wise to do so.

The new contract does not include recycling, and was based on 387 residential units, each permitted to have up to four 39-gallon trash bags per week.

This year, residents saw their monthly garbage bill increase to $33. That represented an $18 a month rate hike.